Type casting and composing machine.



3 SHEETSSHBET 1.

Patented Nov. 16. 1909.

xMSSifl'YZ 11119213 dWOiZPd- ROW W. AOKER'MAN.

p y botfuU74flDf APPLICATION FILED DEG. 28, 1905.

TYPE CASTING AND GOMPOSING MACHINE.

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APPLICATION FILED DBO. 28, 1906. 940,377.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Qvil'mcmca Jnvc'nloz i $511 a) a W. AOKERMAN. TYPE CASTING AND comrosmeMACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28, 1905.

940,377. Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I O H.

, UNITED s ATEs PATENT orrron.

WILLIAM ACKERMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES GRAPHO-TYRE COMPANY, OF NEw YoRK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

TYPE CASTING AND COMPOSING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Application filed December 28, 1905. Serial No. 298,603.

I To all whom it may concern:

county and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Type Casting and Composing Machines, of which thefollowing is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enableany one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to composing machines for use in connection withautomatic type-casting and setting machines.

, In what is known in this art as the Goodson system, there is employeda perforating face.

device consisting of an organization of perforating magnets controlledby the keys on the keyboard of a typewriting machine, for producing upona movable strip of flexible material successive groups of perforationsrepresentative of the matter to be set up; which strip is subsequentlyused to control the various mechanisms of the type-casting and settingmachine proper, whereby the matter represented by the perforations willbe reproduced in ustified lines of individual type. A detaileddescription of such a composing machine is disclosed in U. S. Patent No.606,007 dated June 21, 1898. In this system the type bodies are all castin a single mold which is adapted to expand and contract in order toproduce type of varying thicknesses, or, what is commonly known asself-spacing type The matrices for forming the type face are arrangedupon an integral-font matrix block, in parallel lines extending in twodirections, and are grouped according to the unit value of the runningwidth of type face. In other words, the matrices representing charactersof a common width of face are arranged in a common row and the controlof the selecting means for such row is common with that of the controlof the variable mold, so that the mold will adapt itself in width tocorrespond to the unit value of such row whichever in dividual characterof the row is selected. There are several rows of the same width of Thismatrix block is impelled from a normal osition or starting point andcaused to trave in two directions until intercepted by selecting stopsadapted to be thrown into the path of the moving block, by magnets underthe control of the perforated strip and bring said block to rest withone or the other of its matrices directly over the variable mold readyto receive the molten type metal.

A detailed description of a casting and setting machine such as referredto is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 530,481 dated Dec. 4, 1894.Heretofore, in this system there has been for each character or matrixon the matrix block a corresponding key on the keyboard of the composingmachine; so that a matrix block containing, for instance, 15 rows ofmatrices with 15 matrices in each row, required 225 keys on the keyboardof the composing machine.

The object of the resent invention is to provide means Where y with agiven number of matrices fewer keys on the keyboard will be required toproducethe same results as heretofore. The advantages of fewer keys,such as convenience of manipulation, economy of space, etc., areobvious.

The invention consistsof a peculiar arrangement of electricalcontrolling circuits, and a novel switching mechanism under control ofthe operator'together with other features to be set forth hereinafter,whereby certain finger keys of the composing ina-' chine. may be causedto operate one or the other of two different combinations, sets, or

block.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram or chartillustrative of the manner of arranging the matrices on the ma rixblock. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the circuits. Fig. 3 is a detail in sideelevation of my switching mechanism. Fig. 4: is an end view of a portionof the switch. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the movingparts in another position. -Fig. 6 is a detail of a moving part of theswitch detached. Figs. 7 and 7 are details of stationary parts of theswitch detached; and F? g. 8 is a plan of a portion of an insulating bedplate.

Referring first to Fig. 1, which is a chart or diagram and not a drawingof the matrix block itself, the characters inclosed within small squaresdenote the matrices, which, it will be seen, are arranged in parallellines running in two directions. Those lines of matrices arranged invertical relation and designated by numerals 1 to 15 from right to leftwill be referred to hereinafter as rows while those arranged inhorizontal relation and designated by the numerals l to 15 running frombottom to top of chart will be referred to as individuals. Thus thelocation of any matrix may be definitely expressed. For instance,capitalA (heavy face) is the 13th individual of row 12 and capital B(light face) is the 5th individual of row 1.

' The numerals at the bottom of the chart designate the unit value ofthe matrices of the several rows, and it should be noted that all thematrices of a given row are of a common unit value. 1

It should be observed further that duplicates of certain charactersoccur in each row, and viewing the arrangement of matrices in horizontallines it will be seenv that such duplication may be carried out eitherpartially or wholly in the lines. For instance, the line of matricesdesignated by the reference letter I) is in many respects the same asthat designated by 6', save for the fact that in one line the charactersare heavy faced and in the other light faced. Sim ilarly, the line at Ccorresponds in some respects with the line at 0', and so on, six linesbeing duplicated as to some of the characters.

Turning now to the diagram of circuits, Fig. 2, A represents themetallic keyboard of a composing machine, in which are mounted a numberof keys representing characters on the matrix block. Seven keys areshown representing the largecapitals A, T, S, X, K, B and E. Dependingfrom each key are three metallic contact pins the middle pin beingsurrounded by a coiled spring a, which serves to hold the key in raisedposition. Each pin is arranged directly over, and is adapted to enterwhen the key is depressed, a mercury well or terminal in the insulatingplate B, there being a lgroup of three wells or terminals for each C andCrepresent two groups of perforating or selecting-magnets designated asrow and individual, respectively, which are adapted to operate in amanner fully set forth in the prior patents hereinbefore referred to, toproduce perforations in the flexible strip. Both groups of magnets arenumbered from 1 to 14 and correspond respectively to the rows andindividuals similarly numbered on the chart Fig. 1. It will be noted,however, that there is no 15th selecting magnet in either group.Inasmuch as the 15th position of the matrix block in either direction ofits movement is an extreme position the same may be determined orcontrolled by a'fixed stop requiring no selecting magnet to operate it.At M I have shown a conventionalized form of the switching mechanismhereinbefore referred to whereby'a single key may be caused to select,at the will of the operator, either of two different sets of perforatingmagnets and so produce in the strip, perforations representative ofeither one or the other of two entirely different characters ordifferent styles of the same character as the case may be, it beingunderstood that my scheme Works just as well whether the characters inthe so-called duplicated lines are different styles of the samecharacters or characters of altogether different identity.

1 2*, 3, 4 5 and 6, denote a row of six fixed terminals which corres 0ndto the six duplicated horizontal lines 0 characters on the chart Fig. 1.Each of such terminals is connected electrically with each of the keysrepresentative of the characters appearing in such horizontal lines.

Adjacent the row of terminals 1*, 2", 3, etc. are two other rows ofterminals designated by the titles light face and heavy face the formerbeing connected electrically with certain of the individual perforatingor selectin magnets and thelatter with certain other 0 such magnets.

M is a movable member carrying spring contact fingers g, h, 2', j, k andZ, insulated from each other and insulated from M its function being toconnect the terminals 1 2", 3 etc. either with the correspondingterminals in the light face row orthose in the heavy face row asdesired.

A conductor 20 leading from a source of current supply represented bythe signs and is connectedwith the metallic keyboard A, and the contactpins of all the keys on the board. The middle well of each group ofmercury wells or terminals is connected by a wire 21 with a commonreturn circuit 22 which includes a relay R. It should be noted that themiddle contact pin is shorter than its fellows and makes contact withthe middle mercury terminal only after contact between the other pinsand their respective terminals has been fully established.

Now let us select one of the keys, say for instance, large capitalletter S, trace its cir- 'cuits and note what happens when said key isdepressed. A glance at the chart Fig. 1

shows that this letter appears twice in row 10 and is the 4th individualin that row in light face type and the 14th individual in the same rowin heavy faced type. As soon as the middle contact pin has made contactwith its respective mercury terminal and completed the main circuitthrough the relay R, said relay is energized and draws down its armaturein contact with the stop 25, whereupon the current will divide at'thekey, and pass through mercury well n to conductor 26, thence to rowperforating magnet 10, thence to the 4 unit magnet 27 which registersthe unit value on the counting machine thence to conductor 28, to returnwire 30, to stop 25, armature 31, wire 32, and back to generator. Thisproduces a row perforation which is the same whatever the position ofthe member M of the switching mechanism. Simultaneously with this actioncurrent passes through well n to conductor 84 to terminal 2 of theswitching mechanism whence it may pass accordingly as the operator mayplace the member M, either to terminal 35 thence by wire 36 toindividual perforating magnet 4, to common return wire 30, and out; orto terminal 37, to wire 38, individual perforating magnet 14, and out bycommon return wire 30. This produces an individual perforation whichwill result in the selection of a light faced or heavy faced letter Saccording to the position of the switch. a 7

As hereinbefore mentioned there will be 14 other keys corresponding tothe characters appearing in horizontal line Z) of chart of Fig. 1, allhaving one mercury terminal thereof connected with the terminal 2 of theswitch M. Similarly all of the keys corresponding to the charactersappearing in line aof the chart, Fig. 1, will be connected with theterminal .1 of the switchv and so on.

Consider now large capital letter K, which is the third individual ofrow 5, light face, and the 15th individual of the same row, heavy face,and assume that the switch is set for light faced characters. The K keybeing depressed will complete the main circuit in the same manner asbefore described and at the same time establish a branch circuit leadingfrom one of the contact pins of'the key to the mercury well 91 thence byconductor 4:0 to row perforating or selecting" magnet 5, thence by wire11 to 30 and out; and another branch circuit leading from the other ofsaid pins to mercury well a to the switch terminal 1 to terminal 42,wire 43, individual perforating magnet 3 return wire 30 and out,resulting in the desired combination of row and individual perforations.Should the switch be set for heavy faced characters, however, and thiskey depressed, the row perforatingmagnets only would be operated, therebeing no 15th individual magnet for the reason already mentioned.

In Figs. 3 to 8 ofthe drawings, I show the preferred form of myswitching mechanism in which G-G' represent two blocks of insulatingmaterial each carrying three U-.

shaped soring conductors g, h, i and j, k and Z, secured to theunderside thereof, and each having a vertically arranged push-rod J andJ guided in the frame L the stroke of the rods being limited by notchesm. Located between the blocks G and G and pivoted to the said frame at Lis a rocking arm L whose forked ends engage pins on said blocks in themanner shown, the arrangement being such that downward pressure oneither of said push-rods will depress one block and raise the other, Nand N are channels of insulating material each supporting on oppositewalls thereof fixed metallic contact strips, there being a single row ofelongated strips on one wall and a double row of short strips spacedapart on the other, the U-shaped spring contacts before mentioned lyingbetween the two walls and bridging saidelongated strips with the upperor lower row of shorter strips accordingly as the insulating blocks Gand G are in raised or lowered position. The elongated strips l 2", 3,etc. correspond to the switch terminals similarly designated in diagramFig. 2. The upper row of' short strips in channel N and the lower row ofsuch strips in channel N correspond to the heavy face row of terminalsshown in said diagram and are similarly'wired; while the lower row ofshorter strips in channel N and the upper row of such strips in channelN correspond to the light face row of terminals and are also similarlywired. By this arrangement it appears that the operator may set andre-set the switch by a simple downward pressure on one or the other ofthe push-rods J or J, it being 100 understood that one of such rods isalways in up position and indicating to the operator whether light faceor heavy face perforating magnets arein selective condition. To effect achange in results it is only neces- 105 sary to depress said upstandingrod.

I find in practice that time can be saved and confusion avoided byproviding for a certain uniformity of manipulation of the various partsof a composing machine and it is for this reason that I have devised thepeculiar form of switch above described, it I being obvious that aswitch operable by pressure keys that move always in the same directionand resemble in forms and action all the other keys on the keyboard,will offer fewer hindrances to accurate and speedy work than onerequiring peculiar and special manipulation. But it should be observedthat while a rocking switch operable by keys or push-rods moved alwaysin the same direction is my preferred form, I by no means limit myselfto such form.

My invention broadly sneaking comprehends the use of any form ofswitchingmechanism by which a finger kev*may be electricallyconnected-at will with one or another of different combinations orperforatin devices. I

%or the convenience of assembling and in order that the switching'deviceas a whole may be removed where occasion requires without distributingany of the conducting wires, I provide each of the various fixedterminals or contact strips of the switch with depending metallic pinsS, S, etc. adapted to enter and make electrical contact with mercurywells or terminals S S etc., located in the insulating plate B,hereinbefore referred to, the various conducting wires leading to andfrom these wells.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is i 1. In a machine forregistering upon a type-casting-machine-controller the composition to becast in the casting machine, a key-board having groups of keysrepresenting a plurality of lay-outs or fonts or parts thereof,selective means for registering upon the casting-machine-controller theseveral characters appearing in the. several keyboard groups, means forconnecting the several key-board keys to the controller selective means,and means whereby said connections may be established for one key-boardgroup and rendered inoperative from' another key-board group.

2. In a machine for registering upon a type-casting-machine-controllerthe composition to be cast'in the casting machine, a key-board havinggroups of keys represent ing a plurality of lay-outs or fonts 01; partsthereof, selective means for registering upon the casting-machinecontroller the several characters appearing in the several keyboardgroups, means for connecting the sevcral key-board keys to thecontroller selective means, and means whereby said connec- -tious may besimultaneously established for all the keys of one key-board group andrendered inoperative from the keys of another key-board group.

3. In a machine for registering upon a type-casting machine-controllerthe composition to be cast in the casting machine, a key-board havinggroups of keys representing a lurality of lay-outs or fonts or partstliereo selective means for registering upon the casting machinecontroller the several characters appearing in the several keyboardgroups, and means whereby one at a time of said key-board groups may beplaced inoperative connection with the controller registering means.

4. A machine for registering upon a typecasting-machine controller thecomposition to be cast in the casting machine, a key-board having keysrepresenting the characters adapted to be registered upon thecontroller,

selective means for registering on the controller the several characterscorresponding to the key-board keys, and means whereby a plurality butless than all of said character keys may be connected to the controllerregistering means.

5. A machine forregistering upon a type casting-machine controller thecomposition to be cast in the casting machine, a keyboard having keysrepresenting the charactroller. selective means for registering on thecontroller the several characters corresponding to the key-board keys,and means whereby said keys may be interchangeably connected in groupsto said controller registering means.

6. A machine for registering upon a typecasting-machine controller thecomposition to be cast in the casting machine, a keyboard having keysrepresenting the characters adapted to be registered upon thecontroller, selective means for registering on the controller theseveral characters corresponding to the key-board keys, electricalcircuits controlled by each of said keys, and means Iwhereby saidcircuits may be interchangeably set in groups into operative relation tothe controller registering means, for operating the latter when the keysare operated.

7. In composing machines of the character described the combination of aseries of selecting magnets, finger keys each representative of twodifferent groups or combinations of such magnets and included in anelectric circuit with both of said groups or combinations and a manuallyoperated switch for causing a key to actuate one or the other of saidgroups or combination of magnets as described.

8. In composing machines of the character described, the combination ofa series of selecting magnets, finger keys each representative of aplurality of groups or combinations of such magnets, and a manuallyoperated selecting switch electrically connected with said keys and saidmagnets whereby a magnet in a group or combination may be cut out ofcontrol of a key and another cut in.

9. In a composing machine of the character described, the combination ofselecting magnets divided into two general groups, a series of terminalselectrically connected to certain magnets in one of said .groups,another series of terminals electrically 'connected with certain othersof said magnets also in said group, and finger keys having electricalconnections leading to certain magnets of the other of said groups andconnections leading to a manually operated switch, the latter beingadapted to connect said keys with one or the other of .said series ofte'rminals.

10. In a composing machine of the character described, the combinationof selectingmagnets divided into two general groups, a switch having twoseries of terminals, conductors connecting certain of the magnets of oneof such groups with the terminals of one series and certain others ofsaid magnets with the terminals of the other series, a

movable member having fingers adapted to contact with the correspondingterminals of one or the other of said series of terminals, and fingerkeys each adapted to distribute current in branch lines one leading to afinger of said movable member and the other to a magnet of the othersaid general group.

11. The combination of selecting magnets, finger-keys for controllingthe energizing of the same, and a selecting switch comprising W0 sets ofterminals insulated from each other, one set being in circuit withcertain of said magnets and the other set in circuit with certain othersof said magnets,,and a movable-member carrying contact .-fiiigers incircuit with said keys, said movable member being adapted to connect thekeys with one or the other set of said terminals.

12. The combination of selecting-magnets,

finger keys for controlling the same, a pair of channels of insulatingmaterial spaced apart and having electric terminals arranged on opposingwalls thereof and connected re- 'spectively with said keys and certainof said magnets,

a rocking. arm pivoted between said channels, and contact'fingersarranged upon the ends of said arm and adapted to engage said terminals.

13. A selecting switch for the purpose described comprising a pivotedarm adapted to rock in a vertical plane, push-rods arranged on the endsof the same, U-shaped contact fingers also carried by the ends of saidarm,

and electric terminals arranged on both sides of both ends of said armand adapted to be enga ed by said U-shaped contacts, the termina ssuperposed insulated rows. I

14. In a composing machine of the character described, the combinationof a series of selecting magnets divided into two general;

on one side being arranged in two groups, finger keys eachrepresentative of I different groups or combinations of magnets composedof individual magnets, from both of said general groups and adapted todistribute current over branch lines to both of said groups, and amanually operated switchin device branch lmes and adapted to cut out amagnet and substitute another therefor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of thetwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ACKERMAN.

Witnesses:

IV. NICHOLAS, J. McCULLooH.

located in one of said

